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Fit City Kennesaw

Fit City Kennesaw is a city-wide initiative launched in 2012 to address the increasing rate of obesity and concerns over the health of Kennesaw residents. The overall goal is to help prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases in children, teens and adults by promoting healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.

Upcoming “fit-friendly” events are featured on the following calendar.

Simply click on a section heading to expand or collapse the information below.

It’s time to get off the couch and start moving! Regular physical activity helps improve your overall health and fitness, and reduces your risk for many chronic diseases. It can also make you feel stronger and more alive, and it’s a fun way to be with your family or friends. [More information]

Kennesaw Grand Prix

Ready to go the distance? The Kennesaw Grand Prix is an annual series of six running events in Kennesaw. Each 5K race benefits a local foundation or charitable organization. The fast, flat and USATF-certified road race course begins and ends in downtown Kennesaw, looping through Swift-Cantrell Park on a paved asphalt trail. [More information]

Sports & Recreation

Commit to get fit! The City of Kennesaw has assembled a lineup of healthy sports, exercise and lifestyle programs to help you get moving and feeling your best poker sites; and also sponsors league play in a variety of sports including baseball, softball, football and soccer. [More information]

Trails to Good Health

Kennesaw residents are encouraged to hit the walking trails and paths located inside the city. Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise is one of your body’s most natural forms of exercise. It’s safe and simple, doesn’t require practice, and the health benefits are endless. [More information]

Wellness Station

The Life University Wellness Station at Swift-Cantrell Park is a complete fitness and body-weight training system designed to deliver a synergistic workout connecting your body’s major anatomical systems and exercises to nearly all of your bones and muscles. [More information]

People on the go often don’t make time for smart food choices, and it’s important to eat healthy everyday. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your cup or bowl. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories. Below are a few tips to get you started. [More information]

MAKE HALF YOUR GRAINS WHOLE. The color of a food is not an indication that it’s a whole-grain food. Foods labeled as “multi-grain,” “area-ground,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not 100% whole-grain products, and may not contain any whole grain.

ADD MORE VEGETABLES TO YOUR DAY. Brighten your plate with vegetables that are red, orange, or dark green. They are full of vitamins and minerals. Try acorn squash, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or collard greens. They not only taste great but also are good for you, too.

FOCUS ON FRUITS. At breakfast, top your cereal with bananas, peaches, or strawberries; add blueberries to pancakes; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Or, try a fruit mixed with fat-free or low-fat yogurt.

GET YOUR CALCIUM-RICH FOODS. Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk. If you currently drink whole milk, gradually switch to lower fat versions. This change cuts calories but doesn’t reduce calcium or other essential nutrients. If you are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk, drink smaller amounts of milk at a time, or try soymilk (soy beverage).

CUT BACK ON FOODS HIGH IN SOLID FATS, ADDED SUGARS, AND SALT. Many people eat foods with too much solid fats, added sugars, and salt (sodium). Added sugars and fats load foods with extra calories you don’t need. Too much sodium may increase your blood pressure.

EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CALORIES FOR YOU. Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight. Enjoy your food, but eat less. Cook more often at home, where you are in control of what’s in your food. When eating out, choose lower calorie menu options. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so sensibly — limit to 1 drink a day for women or to 2 drinks a day for men.

Farmer’s Market

Visit the Kennesaw Farmers Market every Monday from May through September for fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, honey, freshly canned jams, jellies, bread (hot from the oven), and other locally produced goods like hummus, cheese, plants and cut flowers. The market is located at Depot Park in downtown Kennesaw, 2828 Cherokee Street, across from the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History; and operates from 3 to 7 p.m. [More information]

The City of Kennesaw supports the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) challenge, which helps individuals commit to regular physical activity and healthy eating — and rewards them for it. The challenge is for anyone, from students to seniors, but it’s geared toward people who want to set themselves on the road to a healthier life through positive changes to physical activity and eating behaviors. It’s free to join the challenge, but registration is required.